Many Chattanooga area residents enjoy being on the water, but only a select few love it enough to hold their own wedding ceremony in the middle of a kayaking trip down a river. Freestyle kayaker and Ace Kayaking School guide Kat Levitt is one of them. Though she’s excited to compete in the Freestyle Kayaking World Cups in Spain and France this year, she’s even more pumped about her efforts to bring the river parks she’s found in Europe home to Chattanooga.
How long have you been kayaking, and what got you into it?
I went whitewater rafting as a teenager and observed the kayakers on the river with us. It appeared the potential for fun was greater than in a raft, as they could surf and effortlessly glide back and forth across the water. They also could catch water with their bow and pop up high into the air! I wanted to do that as soon as I saw it!
How did you transition into being an instructor yourself?
Freestyle kayaker and Ace Kayaking School guide Kat LevittI didn’t begin to teach kayaking for a long time (over 10 years). My very first instruction gig was spur of the moment, assisting Jeff West, the owner of the Ocoee River’s premier kayak school (ACE). He was my big brother figure, from my teens to my 30’s. He was certainly my transition catalyst into instruction, but it wasn’t fast. Realizing my calling took years of observing Jeff work with paddlers of all skill levels, and witnessing the rewards it reaped. He was far from rich in dollars, but he created many smiles and contributed more to the growth of whitewater paddling than anyone I know of.